The AEqui were laying siege to Ortona, a Latin city.

The Veientes, now satiated with plunder, threatened that they would besiege Rome itself.

Which terrors, when they ought to assuage, increased still further the bad feelings of the commons: and the custom of declining the military service was now returning, not of their own accord; but Sp.
Licinius, a tribune of the people, thinking that the time was come for forcing the agrarian law on the patricians by extreme necessity, had taken on him the task of obstructing the military preparations.

But all the odium of the tribunitian power was turned on the author; nor did the consuls rise up against him more zealously than his own colleagues; and by their assistance the consuls hold the levy.

An army is raised for the two wars at the same time; one is given to Fabius to be led against the AEqui, the other to Furius against the Veientians.